We're back in Grenada and on our own again after a busy few weeks - January has passed in a flash. It was great fun having friends on board, very much a holiday-like atmosphere, but it's back to maintenance and repairs now for us ..... there's always a price to pay! Paul has the floor of Pandora up as we speak trying to fathom why the fresh water pump has suddenly started misbehaving - it was fine before we set sail yesterday morning but had given up the ghost by the time we arrived in Grenada. Probably to keep the shower pump (which packed up during the last week) company ....
We were speaking to friends in Bequia about the extreme weather before we sailed south and they said they had never experienced anything like it in January before .... and they have been out here over 12 years. They also had the doubtful pleasure of sailing in the same gale we did on Tuesday - not for the faint hearted it has to be said - and really couldn't believe it was happening. Looks like we picked the wrong year to embark on this adventure!
We've been out here just over 12 weeks now which I have to say has passed very quickly. It's been a very different experience from what I'd expected: not the relaxing adventure I'd imagined it would be, but that was probably naive expectations on my behalf.
On the plus side of things, we're both tanned, fit and well, are a great team and have had the opportunity to experience a different culture and way of life first-hand. We have also improved as sailors (as so often is the case in the face of adversity) and have a pretty tight definition of what we would want on our next boat .... yes, I'm still keen to buy another and it would be from a far more informed point of view than three months ago.
On the down side we've suffered two collisions in the middle of the night, various and on-going technology problems which have curtailed our sailing plans, one attempted dinghy theft, a bout of dengue fever and various other cuts/bruises etc etc. It would have been easy to throw in the towel on a number of occasions but we didn't and are still here!
I'll leave you to decide whether it's been worth it!!!
28 Jan 2011
[Captains Blog] Grenada again waiting for repairs
The challenges we face once underway never cease to amaze me. Sailing back from Union Island to Grenada via Carriacou (to check into Grenadian waters) we decided that the windward side of the island would be our route. We plotted our course in 15-20 knot winds to take us to the East of the islands called Les Tantes past Bird Island, and on down the East coast of Grenada, rounding the southern tip to do the final short hop into St David's Bay where we are now.
We knew the seas would kick up around Kick 'em Jenny the underwater volcano, but we didn't fully account for Kick 'em Jack adding to Jenny's maelstrom. Consequently, we found ourselves dodging and weaving through very rough waters which felt a bit like we were inside a washing machine until we had fully cleared the passage between Les Tantes and Grenada.
Should we have turned away from the seas and made for the relative calm of the leeward side of the island? No. To do that we would have exposed our stern to the savagery of the waves and we would surely have been swamped. The only option was to keep the pounding waves about 60 degrees off the bow and continue as quickly and as safely as we could, riding each wave as they attempted to twist and turn us every which way.
Once past the hairy bit, the seas calmed down by comparison and even though we still had 15 foot waves to contend with they seemed like chickenfeed. We still averaged close to 7 knots with the Jib out and 2 reefs in the mainsail. Not bad considering. The upside of handling all this bad weather is that we have both honed our sailing skills immensely. It would however be nice to have some calmer weather to look forward to!
We knew the seas would kick up around Kick 'em Jenny the underwater volcano, but we didn't fully account for Kick 'em Jack adding to Jenny's maelstrom. Consequently, we found ourselves dodging and weaving through very rough waters which felt a bit like we were inside a washing machine until we had fully cleared the passage between Les Tantes and Grenada.
Should we have turned away from the seas and made for the relative calm of the leeward side of the island? No. To do that we would have exposed our stern to the savagery of the waves and we would surely have been swamped. The only option was to keep the pounding waves about 60 degrees off the bow and continue as quickly and as safely as we could, riding each wave as they attempted to twist and turn us every which way.
Once past the hairy bit, the seas calmed down by comparison and even though we still had 15 foot waves to contend with they seemed like chickenfeed. We still averaged close to 7 knots with the Jib out and 2 reefs in the mainsail. Not bad considering. The upside of handling all this bad weather is that we have both honed our sailing skills immensely. It would however be nice to have some calmer weather to look forward to!
24 Jan 2011
[Captains Blog] Tobago Cays
In search of a good night's sleep - travelling backwards and forwards between the Grenadine Islands, we have started to filter out the places that will not give us a good night's sleep. Anchor watch, halyards banging against the mast, uncomfortable swells, high winds, anchor bridle creaking in the bow roller, waves slapping against the stern, you name it, they all consire to keep us awake at night.
The other night when we anchored off Princess Margarets beach in Bequia, we had set our anchor successfully after two aborted attempts which found dead coral on the seabed instead of the sand we were hoping for and settled in for the night. As usual, (or so it has been since we came out here) the wind picked up its tempo in the night and was screaming its way down into Admiralty Bay gusting at 30 knots. Thankfully, because I had dived over the anchor on each setting to make sure that the head was truly dug in, our position didn't change. However, at 2:30am we were woken by a Swedish yacht that had dragged its anchor and had drifted onto us. I was up out of the hatch and on deck in seconds, fending off and trying to hold their boat from drifting while we disentangled their steering vane from our anchor chain. We were all trying desperately to stop them slipping further downwind into the boat behind us while their skipper tried in vain to get their engine started.
Debra (wearing only a flimsy cotton top) sprang into action putting fenders all along the starboard side to keep the boats apart, cutting a finger in the process but manfully sticking to the task of preserving the boat and minimising the damage while the struggle with the engine and the drifting boat continued. We started our engine so that we had more control, tied them onto our cleats and I stood by with my trusty knife to cut the Swedes free if it looked as though they were going to pull us along with them. Thankfully, our anchor held and they were able to get their engine started.
We took their details and agreed to review the situation in the daylight and they left. We realised that in the melee we had drifted backwards a few yards, so we re-set our anchor further forward and went back to bed. Needless to say, it was yet another sleepless night as we were too pumped up to relax. And so it goes on, more reasons not to relax in the knowledge that the elements are not going to throw something else at us every night.
The other night when we anchored off Princess Margarets beach in Bequia, we had set our anchor successfully after two aborted attempts which found dead coral on the seabed instead of the sand we were hoping for and settled in for the night. As usual, (or so it has been since we came out here) the wind picked up its tempo in the night and was screaming its way down into Admiralty Bay gusting at 30 knots. Thankfully, because I had dived over the anchor on each setting to make sure that the head was truly dug in, our position didn't change. However, at 2:30am we were woken by a Swedish yacht that had dragged its anchor and had drifted onto us. I was up out of the hatch and on deck in seconds, fending off and trying to hold their boat from drifting while we disentangled their steering vane from our anchor chain. We were all trying desperately to stop them slipping further downwind into the boat behind us while their skipper tried in vain to get their engine started.
Debra (wearing only a flimsy cotton top) sprang into action putting fenders all along the starboard side to keep the boats apart, cutting a finger in the process but manfully sticking to the task of preserving the boat and minimising the damage while the struggle with the engine and the drifting boat continued. We started our engine so that we had more control, tied them onto our cleats and I stood by with my trusty knife to cut the Swedes free if it looked as though they were going to pull us along with them. Thankfully, our anchor held and they were able to get their engine started.
We took their details and agreed to review the situation in the daylight and they left. We realised that in the melee we had drifted backwards a few yards, so we re-set our anchor further forward and went back to bed. Needless to say, it was yet another sleepless night as we were too pumped up to relax. And so it goes on, more reasons not to relax in the knowledge that the elements are not going to throw something else at us every night.
22 Jan 2011
[Cruise News] Chatham Bay, Union Island
From what we read and hear, it seems like the world's weather is truly screwed up at the moment. The strong winds in the Caribbean continue making for unrestful nights for Paul & me, checking transits every hour or so to make sure we're anchored securely and haven't moved. It's a bit like some form of torture .... sleep depravation isn't for me ... but it's better to be safe than sorry. So tonight we've anchored in one of the most sheltered anchorages we know and are keeping everything crossed for a peaceful night.
One of our favourite places, Bequia, is having a lot of problems at the moment with boats dragging their anchors. Severe storms between Christmas and New Year have washed away all the sand on the sea-bed, leaving only dead coral which doesn't make for good holding at all. We've had to resort to anchoring on the less scenic side of the bay where the problem isn't too bad.
We've been joined this week by one of my oldest friends from university days and her sister and are sitting sipping our cocktails whilst Paul tends to the bbq. Today was a pretty long sail for completely novice sailors but they both rose to the challenge and enjoyed the trip. We're heading off to the Tobago Cays tomorrow to do a bit of snorkelling with the turtles before wending our way back north early next week. And then Paul & I are sailing back to Grenada (for what must be at least the fifth time!) to have the generator re-fitted and the repairs to the metalwork done. And then we will be free of Grenada - we hope - until the end of the season but aren't holding our breath!
One of our favourite places, Bequia, is having a lot of problems at the moment with boats dragging their anchors. Severe storms between Christmas and New Year have washed away all the sand on the sea-bed, leaving only dead coral which doesn't make for good holding at all. We've had to resort to anchoring on the less scenic side of the bay where the problem isn't too bad.
We've been joined this week by one of my oldest friends from university days and her sister and are sitting sipping our cocktails whilst Paul tends to the bbq. Today was a pretty long sail for completely novice sailors but they both rose to the challenge and enjoyed the trip. We're heading off to the Tobago Cays tomorrow to do a bit of snorkelling with the turtles before wending our way back north early next week. And then Paul & I are sailing back to Grenada (for what must be at least the fifth time!) to have the generator re-fitted and the repairs to the metalwork done. And then we will be free of Grenada - we hope - until the end of the season but aren't holding our breath!
19 Jan 2011
[Captains Blog] St Vincent
Mooring has always been an interesting activity, and since our accident on Christmas Day we have been ultra-cautious with setting the anchor, putting loads and loads of chain out, and where there are regulated mooring buoys, have been tying up to them. Last night we arrived in Young Island Cut on St Vincent after a testing crossing from Bequia in 35 knot winds and massive seas so that we could drop off our guests this morning in time for their flight home.
On arrival at the cut, we took a mooring (recommended by Chris Doyle in his sailing guide) and settled down for what we were hoping to be a restful night. However, the boat next to us was a 100 footer which was tied up fore and aft, although unbeknown to us, the aft line allowed the boat to swing through 90 degrees in the changing tide. We only tied up on the bow which meant that we would swing through 360 degrees as appropriate with wind and tide changes. At one point we noticed that the other boat had swung around and was much closer to us so I went across in the dinghy to see if they had changed their mooring at all. "No" came the reply, so I went back to our boat. As the tide turned and we swung, we were getting perilously close, so we spent a good chunk of the night on anchor watch to make sure that there was no repeat of our earlier collision.
At the first opportunity this morning, having seen another very close shave during which the crew of the other boat finally grasped my point that we were too close and started to panic a bit, we flagged the mooring people down and got them to give us a stern line from another buoy so that now we are fixed properly. We should sleep soundly in our beds tonight....
On arrival at the cut, we took a mooring (recommended by Chris Doyle in his sailing guide) and settled down for what we were hoping to be a restful night. However, the boat next to us was a 100 footer which was tied up fore and aft, although unbeknown to us, the aft line allowed the boat to swing through 90 degrees in the changing tide. We only tied up on the bow which meant that we would swing through 360 degrees as appropriate with wind and tide changes. At one point we noticed that the other boat had swung around and was much closer to us so I went across in the dinghy to see if they had changed their mooring at all. "No" came the reply, so I went back to our boat. As the tide turned and we swung, we were getting perilously close, so we spent a good chunk of the night on anchor watch to make sure that there was no repeat of our earlier collision.
At the first opportunity this morning, having seen another very close shave during which the crew of the other boat finally grasped my point that we were too close and started to panic a bit, we flagged the mooring people down and got them to give us a stern line from another buoy so that now we are fixed properly. We should sleep soundly in our beds tonight....
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